gged quite differently to those of either
Venice or Genoa.

"That is the craft they were speaking of," the captain said. "There is
no mistaking her. She may be an Egyptian or a Moor, but certainly she
comes from the African coast."

"Or is got up in African fashion," Francis said. "She may be, as we
agreed yesterday, a Genoese masquerading in that fashion, in order to
be able to approach our traders without their suspicions being aroused.
She looks as if she has made a captive of that vessel. I imagine she
must have come up to her late yesterday evening, and has been at work
all night stripping her. I hope she is too busy to attend to us."

The sail had been lowered the instant the captain caught sight of the
vessels, for there was scarcely enough wind to fill it, and the men
were now rowing steadily.

"I do not think she could have taken much of her cargo out. She is very
deep in the water."

"Very deep," Francis agreed. "She seems to me to be deeper than she did
three minutes ago."

"She is a great deal deeper than when we first caught sight of her,"
one of the sailors said. "She stood much higher in the water than the
galley did, and now, if anything, the galley stands highest."

"See!" the captain exclaimed suddenly, "the galley is rowing her oars
on the port bow, and bringing her head round. She has noticed us, and
is going to chase us! We have seen too much.

"Row, men--it is for life! If they overtake us it is a question between
death, and slavery among the Moors."

A sudden exclamation from one of the men caused the captain to glance
round again at the galley. She was alone now on the water--the trader
had sunk!

"Do you take the helm, signor," the captain said. "All hands will help
at the oars."

Some of the oars were double banked, and beneath the strength of the
twenty men, the boat moved fast through the water. The galley was now
rowing all her oars, and in full pursuit. For a quarter of an hour not
a word was spoken. Every man on board was doing his utmost. Francis had
glanced backwards several times, and at the end of a quarter of an
hour, he could see that the distance between the boat and her pursuer
had distinctly lessened.

"Is she gaining on us?" the captain asked, for the cabin in the stern
hid the galley from the sight of the oarsmen.

"She is gaining," Francis said quietly, "but not rapidly. Row steadily,
my lads, and do not despair. When they find how slowly they gain, they
may g